Filing cabinet



Mai; 15, 1925. 1,669,886

j M. C. WHITMORE FILING CABINET Filed Jan. 14, 1924 s Sheets-Sheet 1 4d; ATTORNEY May 15, 1928.

M. C. WHITMORE FILING CABINET Filed Jan. 14, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 6' WW,

J BY W M 1,4 ATTORNEY May 15, 1928.

M. c. WHITMORE FILING CABINET 5 Sheets$heet 3 Filed Jan. 14, 1924 FIGJO 1 INVE NTQR,

4L; ATTORNEY Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

max 0. wnrrmonn; or DAYTON, omo; Assreuon roman STANDARD REGISTER cox- PANY, or DAYTON, OHIO, A com'onamon or 01110.

FILING CABINET.

Application flied ianuary 14, 1924. Serial 1T0. 686,223.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in filing devices, and has particular reference to a filing device in which pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means are employed to exhibit, or produce for access, a desired file holder.

I It is the principal object of my invention to provide a simple, quick and compact filing device in which pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means are employed for the purpose of forcing a. selected file holder to an advanced position to permit the observation, insertion or removal of one or more account or other slips.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a rotating index member by means of which a desired holder may be selected for observation or access by the pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means. For example, if it is desired to ascertain John Does balance, the index mcmb'eris turned to a position which briiigs a name slip containing his name under an indicating opening in the cover, after which, by the opcration of a handle, the pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means employedwill be actuated to move the file holder containing John Does account slips to an advanced position. The front slip in said holder will exhibit John Does balance, and by the insertion of an additional slip or slips therein that balance maybe increased or reduced, or the slips in the holdermay be entirely removed as when his account is'closed.

It is still another object of my invention to produce file slip holders which may be economically manufacti'n'ed by stamping them from sheet metal or other suitable ma terial.

Other important and incidental objects Will be brought out in the following specification and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims. 3 r l p In the accompanying drawingsillustrating various forms of embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved filing device closed and locked. Figure 2 is a perspective View of the same when open and with one file holder in an advanced position; Figure 3 is a top plan view of my filing device. Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, taken on the line 4 -4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a.

detail, front elevation of one of the file slip holders. Figure 6 is a sectional view of the latter on the line 6 -6 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is 'a front view of the rotating name sli reel. Figure 8 is a left end view of said reel, showing the ratchet and pawl therefor. Figure 9 is a side view of the pneumatic operatin mechanism for the file holders. Figme 10 is a side View of the hydraulic mecha iliSlll that may be employed for moving the file holders to advanced positions. ,And F igure 11 is a side View of the mechanical means that may be employed for this purpose.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a filing cabinet that is preferably rectangular in longitudinal section save that the top of its front end is rounded as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The cabinet 1 has cover 2 of cork linoleum, or it may be constructed of slats of steelor other suitable material that are flexibly joined to gether to permit the cover to be rolled into the bottom portion of the cabinet to expose a rotating index member or reel 3 and a series of file holders 4 hereinafter to be described. f v The reel 3 is mountedon a transverse shaft 5 journaled in the frontportion of the cabinet beneath its rounded top end. lVclded or otherwise secured to the periphery of the reel is a series of chahncl members 6 that.

are preferably punched out of steel or other suitable material. These channel members 6, which correspond in number to the file holders 4, areeach adapted to receive a series of name slips '1 that stand "for different divisions of a particular file holder 4. (See Figures 4, 7 and 8.) t y Y Formed in the rear part of the roll top cover 2.; is a row ,of sight openings that are of substantially the same width as. and are adapted to be brought into parallelism with, any one of the channel n'ieinb'ers B on the reel 3. In some cases it may only be necessary to have one sight opening in the roll top cover, but in the drawingsl; hav shown five to correspond to the number of name slips that may be inserted in each channel member 6. Any other number ofthem may be employed, however, to suit different conditions of use. Inserted in each one of these openings is a glass lens 8 through which All a name slip 7 on the reel 3 below it may be read. This lens, while constructed of glass, may be made of any suitable transparent material.

The forward movement of the roll" top cover 2 is limited by the engagement in a recess in one of its'rear side edges, of a spring-pressed angle button 9 or any other suitable retaining device. so placed in the cabinet that its inner end will enter the recess in the roll top cover 2 to stop it when the-row of lens filled openings therein reach the position shown in Figures 3 and 4. \Vhen the reel is rotated to bring a selected name slip under one of the lenses 8 while they are in the above position, it will indicate that an elevating device to be hereinafter described has been brought by the reel 3 through means also to be described, beneath a file holder 1 having a di vision corresponding to the selected name slip.

The reel 3 is rotated by a knob 10 secured to the shaft 5'beyond one side of the cabinet. Within the other side of the cabinet there is secured to the reel shaft 5, a ratchet disc 11 having formed in its perimeter as many concave recesses 12 as there are channel members 6. Secured to the inner portion of this side of the cabinet is an elongated spring 13 whose outer end is formed in U shape to carry a roller 14 which it presses into a concave recess 12 in the ratchet disc 11'to hold the reel 3 in an immovable position after a selected channel member 6 is brought below the row of lenses 8 in the cover 2. (See Figures 7 and 8.)

Access is had to the reel 3 for the purpose of removing or inserting a name slip or slips, by pressing inwardly upon the outer end of the button 9. Thelatter is preferably in the form a bell crank lever, so that when pressure is exerted on its outer end, the inner end thereof will be withdrawn from the recess in the roll top cover 2 to permit the latter to be pulled downwardly a sufiicient distance to expose the reel. Then, after a name slip has been inserted in, or re moved from, the desired channel member 6 of the reel, the cover 2 may be pulled back until the inner end of the button 9 again engages in the recess of said cover.

Formed in the sides of the cabinet are oppositely disposed vertical grooves to receive the file holders 4 for a longitudinal movement therein. Each one of these holders is preferably stamped from sheet steel or other suitable stiff materialto form a ribstrengthenedmarginal frame that is slidable in two oppositely disposed grooves in the sides of the cabinet. In the blanking operation the lower middle portion of each holder 1 is formed with ears 15 corresponding in number to the number of lenses 8 or sight openings in the top cover 2, or to the num- The button "9 is ber of name slips which each channel member 6 on the reel 3 is adapted to receive. The ears 15 which are between the depend ing edge portions of the blank, are afterwards bent upwardly as shown in Figure 5, to form resilient retainers for one or more file slips 16 asshown in Figure 6.

For the purpose of elevating to view a file holder 4 which is preferably constructed in the simple and economic manner before described, the following means are em ployed. Secured between the sides of the cabinet immediately behind the reel 3, is a partition member 17 to which there are so:

cured the front ends of two bars 18 and 19 that run parallel,'one above the other, to the rear end of the cabinet, where they are attached to a supporting piece 20 secured to the rear wall of the cabinet; Since the file holders 4 have their lower middle portions cut away, they will straddle the bars 18 and 19 to permit an elongated cylinder 21 or other elevating device to be moved alon said bars to positions directly beneath said holders. As shown in Figure 9, this cylinder is formed with a side boss 22 containing two end holes 23, 23 to receive the bars 18 and 19 so that it may be freely moved or shifted along them below the file holders 4, from one end of the cabinet to the other. (See Figures 3 and 4.)

The cylinder 21 is moved below the file holders 4. by the following means. The boss 22 has a middle extension 2 1 containing a vertical hole to receive a bolt 25 by which or other means said extension of the boss is so cured to the upper run of an endless'band or chain 26 that passes around a sprocket 27 mounted on a transverse shaft 28 in the front part of the cabinet below the reel shaft 5. The chain 26 passes around a similar sprocket 29 mounted on a transverse spindle 30 journaled in the rear end of the cabinet, so that the upper run of said chain, to which the elongated cylinder 21 is preferably secured, may be drawn in either direction by means now to .be described to place said cylinder under a selected file holder 4.

Secured on the right end of the reel shaft 5 is a sprocket 31 around which passes an endless chain 32 or band that also travels around a sprocket 33 fast on the shaft 28. Therefore, when the reel 3 is turned to bring a row of name slips 7 beneath the lenses 8, the reel shaft 5 will simultaneously rotate the sprocket 31 which, by means of the chain 32 and sprocket 33, will rotate the shaft'28. The rotation of the latter shaft will cause the sprocket 27 thereon to move the chain 26 to shift the cylinder 21 connected to its upper run, to a position beneath the file holder 4 that corresponds to the name slip 7 that is beneath one of the lenses 8. The ratio of the sprocket 31 to the sprocket 33 is such that one revolution of the reel 3 will move ill! the cylinder 21 from the from so the rear er the cabinet, or vice verse.

I lVhen the cylinder 21 has been moved by the chain 26 to a position beneath a selected holder 4, a piston 34 in said cylinder may be raised by either the pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means hereinafter to be described, to elevate that file holder to an advanced position. In Figure 9 I have shown the pneumatic means that may be employed for this purpose and which are as follows. Secured to the lower end of the cylinder 21 is one end of a flexible tube 35 that is attached at its other end to the lower end of a compressioncylinder 36 in which apiston 37 is movable. Formed on the cylinder 36 is a boss 38 by mean; of which itinay be pivotally secured in the right front part of the cabinet 1. (See Figures 4 and 9.)

The outer end of the piston 37 is secured to an arm 39 which is fast on a shaft 40 journaled in the right side of the cabinet for extension beyond the latter to receive a handle 41. lVhen the latter is pulled down, it will cause the piston 37 to force air from the cylinder 36 through the flexible tube 35 to the cylinder 21, where said air will move the piston 34 into engagement with the middle portion of the holder l above it, to raise the latter to the advanced position shown in Figure 2. Thus it will be seen that after the reel 3 has been turned to bring the cylinder 21 under the holder 4.- corresponding to the name slip exposed to view under one of the lenses 8 in the cover 2, the handle 41 may be depressed to cause the piston 3a in that cylinder to. elevate said holder to an advanced position. An account or other slip or s'lip's may then be inserted in said holder, or one or all of the slips therein may be withdrawn.

For the purpose of maintaining a file holder 4. in its elevated position, I have provided an elongated spring 42 secured at its lower end to a boss on the cylinder 21 and turned at its upper end to engage in a recess 4-1 in the lower part of the piston 34 when the latter has raised a file holder to its advanced position. After one is finished with said holder, the upper end of the spring 42 may be withdrawn from the recess all in the piston 34 by downward pressure exerted upon the holder to permit the latter to be moved to its concealed position within the cabinet. \Vhile I employ this. means for holding a file holder in an advanced posi tion, any other means may be employed lolthis purpose if desired. a

In Flll'lll't 10 I have illustrated hydraul c means for raising the plunger 34 in the cylinder 2i. said means being substantially the same as the pneumatic means illustrated in Figure 9 except that a liquid instead of air is forced from the cylinder 36 through the flexible tube 3 5 into the cylinder 21 for the purpose ofraising the piston 34 to elevate a selected file holder 4 to an lUIlVdIlCGtl position.

Instead of employing air or a liquid for raising the plunger 84 in the cylinder 21-, a flexible element such as a Wire 45 may be connected between the piston 84 andthe piston :37 for free passage through the flexible tube 35 to accomplish this purpose. (See Fig'i'irell The cylinders 21 and 36 are made smaller than they are shown in Figures 9 and 10, sin'c-ethey need to accommodate a piston of but slightly greater dianieter than the 'u'ire.

After the handle 41 has been forced. downwardly to actuate the pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means just described for raising a selected holder at to an advanced position, it will returned t'oi'ts norma'l position by a helical spring 46, oneend of which is secured to the arm 39 and its other end to the interior of the-cabinet wall.

lVhen the filing device is not in use, the roll top cover 2 may be drawn over the file holder's' l to the rear end of the cabinet and. locked there by any suitable lock such as the one designated 47 in Figure 3. llVhen the cabinet thuslocked, nothing therein will be accessible or exposed to the view of an unauthorized person or persons.

I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, and any changes or modifications may be made therein within the scope of the subjoi ned claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a filing device, a series of tile holders, means operable by a mobile substance for individually moving said holders to advanced positions, a rotatable index member, 4

and means connecting the latter with the holder moving means for placing said holder moving means in a position to move a select ed file holder to. an advanced position. v

2 In a filing device, a series of file holders, means operable by a mobile substance for individually moving said holders to advanced positions, a rotatable index reel, and means connecting the latter with the holder moving means for placing said holder moving means in a position to move aselected file holder to an advanced position.

'3. In a filing device, a series of file holders, means operable by a mobile substance for individually moving said holders to advanced positions, a rotatable name-receiving member, and means connecting the latter with the holder moving means for placing said holder moving means in a position to move a file holder corresponding to a se lected name on said reel,-to an advanced position.

4. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, cylinder shiftable to a position in proximity to a se- Inn lected holder, a piston in said cylinder for moving said holder to an advanced position, and means for forcing a mobile substance into said cylinder to move said holder to such a position.

,5. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, a cylinder shiftable to a position in proximity to a selected holder, a piston in said cylinder for moving said holder to an advanced posit-ion, and means for forcing a fluid into said cylinder to move said holder to such a position.

6. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, a cylinder shiftable to a position in proximity to a se lccted holder, a piston in said cylinder for moving said holder to an advanced position, andmeans for forcing air into said cylinder to move said holder to such a position.

7. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, 2. cylinder shiftable to a position in proximity to a selected holder, index means, endless means connected between the latter and the cylinder for moving said cylinder to said position, a piston in said cylinder for moving said holder to an advanced position, and means for actuating said piston to move said holder to an advanced position after the index means has placed said cylinder in proximity to it.

8. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, a cylinder shiftable to a position in proximity to a selected holder, a rotatable index member, endless means connected between the latter and the cylinder for moving said cylinder to said position, a piston in said cylinder for moving said holder to an advanced position, and means for actuating said piston to move said holder to such a position after the index member has placed said cylinder in proximity to it.

t). In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, a cylinder shiftable under said file holders to a position beneath a selected holder, a piston in said cylinder for raising said holder to an ad anced position. and means for raising said piston to elevate said holder to such a position.

10 In a filing device containing a series of upwardlv movable file holders, a guide longitudinally mounted below the latter, a cylinder shiftable along said guide to a position beneath a selected file holder. a piston in said cylinder for raising said holder to an advanced position, and means for raising said piston to elevate said holder to that po sition.

11. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, means operable by a mobile substance for moving a selected fileholder to an advanced position, shiftable to a position in proximity to said holder, a drivin means to said position, operating said band. r

12. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, means for moving a selected file holder to an advanced position, shiftable to a position in proximity to said holder, a band for shifting said means to said position, and a rotatable index member for ope ating said band.

13. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, means for moving a selected holder to an advanced position. shiftable to a position in proximity band for shifting said and index means for to said holder, an endless band to which said means is secured, and a rotatable index reel for operating said band. i p i 14. In a filing device containing a series of outwardly movable file holders, a longitudinal guide beneath the latter, means for moving a selected file holder to an advanced position. shiftable along said guide to a position below a selected holder, a rotatable member at each end of said guide, an endless band to which said shiftablc means is secured and which is adapted to pass around said rotatable members, and index means for rotating one of said members to move the shiftable means along said guide to a position beneath a file holder corresponding to a selected name on the index means.

15. In a filing cabinet having oppositelydisposed grooves in its side walls, a series of file holders in said grooves for movement therethrough to advanced positions, said holders having recessed lower ends, and a device shiftable through the recesses in the inner ends of said holders for placement below a selected holder to move it to an advanced position.

16. In a filing cabinet having oppositely disposed grooves in its side walls, a series of file holders movable in said grooves to ad vanced positions, said holders having their lower ends recessed to provide upwardly prl'ijecling slip-retaining cars, and a device movable through the recesses in the inner ends of said holders for placement below a selected holder to move it to an advanced position.

17. In a filing cabinet, a guide extending longitudinally through its middle portion, a series of outwardly movable file holders re cessed at their inner ends to straddle said guide, and a device movable along said gu de through the recessed portions of said file holders to a position under a selected holder to elevate it to an advanced position.

18. In a filing cabinet, :1 pair of guide bars extending longitudinally through its middle portion, a series of outwardly movable file holders recessed at their inner ends to straddle said guide bars, a cvlinder shiftable along the latter to a position beneath a selected holder, a piston in said cylinder for Inn Ill

ill

raising said holder to an advanced position, and means for actuating said piston to elevate said holder to that position.

19. In a filing device, a series of outwardly movable file holders, a movable cover therefor having a sight opening, a means for moving any one of said holders to an advanced position, and a rotatable index member under said cover, means connected be tween said index member and the holderaetuating means for positioning the holder actuating means in operative relation to the holder corresponding to the designation on said index member that is brought by the latter under the sight opening in said Cover.

20. In a filing device, a series of outwardly movable file holders, a movable cover therefor containing a sight opening, an index member rotatable beneath said opening to bring designations thereon into view through the latter, a shiftable means for moving said holder to an advanced position, and means operated by said index member to move said shiftable means into operative position with respect to said holder when the designation on the index member corresponding to it is being brought to a position beneath the sight opening in said cover.

21. In a filing device, a series of outwardlv movable file holders, a roll top cover therefor containing a sight opening, a namereceiving index member rotatable beneath said opening to bring the names thereon successively into view through the latter, a shiftable means for moving said holder to an advanced position, and means operated by said index member to move said shiftable means into operative relation to said holder while the name on the index member corresponding to said holder is being brought to a position beneath the sight opening in said cover.

In a filing device, a series of outwardly movable file holders, a rotatable index member, a roll top cover containing a sight opening adapted to be brought over said index member, means adapted to engage said cover to hold it in a position with its sight opening over said index member to permit any one of the designations on the latter to be visible through it when the index member is rotated, a shiftable means for moving said holder into an advancedposition, and means operated by said index member to move said shiftable means into an operative position with respect to said holder when the designation on the index member corresponding to said holder is being brought to a position beneath the sight opening in the cover. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of January, 1924.

MAX G. VVHITMORE. 

